Taking You Home
by Tess H Ross
Summary: Another D/C fic, you know, the whole "carol never told doug" thing...yeah, yeah, it's been done before, I don't care!!! D/C fans'll like, everyone else...well, that just depends on you. R & R!
1. Taking You Home: Chapter One

TITLE: Taking You Home  
SUMMARY: It's a Doug/Carol, a romance, were you expecting something else?  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: In this fic, Carol never told Doug of the twins...I know it's far-fetched, but hey! That's how my mind works.  
  
~*~  
  
"Mom?"  
  
Coffee....  
  
"Mom, time to wake up."  
  
"Do you think she's dead?"  
  
"No, she'd be all white if she was dead...Dave showed me a dead guy once."  
  
"Was he white?"  
  
"Yup. Is she still breathing?"  
  
Carol felt little curls brushing against her face as someone felt for breath.  
  
"Uh-huh, she's alive."  
  
"Mo-om, wake up!!"  
  
Fingers pried open her right eye and two identical faces peered at her.  
  
"Tess, get your fingers off, please." Carol said monotonously.  
  
"Mom, if you don't get up, you're going to be late." Kate said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Late?" she murmured sleepily.  
  
"Yeah, you overslept." Tess replied.  
  
"Oh, god...." Carol leapt out of bed, nearly squishing her five-year-old daughters in the process.  
  
"Mom, chill! We've got it under control!" Tess shouted.  
  
"Your scrubs are on the chair, your shower's running and the coffee's being made." Kate announced.  
  
"Do you two have your backpacks?" she asked.  
  
"Uh-huh, we're catching the bus."  
  
"You've got about twenty minutes before you have to go."  
  
"We're going to eat our cereal." The two little girls walked out, leaving Carol to take her shower and get ready.  
  
~*~  
  
"Girls, did you eat your cereal?" Carol asked, coming down the stairs and getting her coat from the sofa, where she had dropped it last night in a tired haste to get to bed.  
  
"Mom, tell Kate that Lucky Charms *don't* need extra sugar!"  
  
"Mom, tell Tess that she shouldn't feed Ringo cream cheese!"  
  
"He likes it!"  
  
"Nu-uh, he spit it on the floor!" It was when Carol walked to the counter to sit down when Ringo, the old basset hound, chose to crawl across the floor, making her trip and shout a swear.  
  
"Ooooooooooh...." They both said softly, smiling.  
  
"You curse-ed, Mama." Kate grinned.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry." She replied. "What's for breakfast, Chef Tess?" Carol asked, as it was Tess's duty that morning to get breakfast started.  
  
"A bagel with cream cheese." Tess placed the plate in front of her.  
  
"The chive kind?" Carol already knew the answer, as it was Tess's favourite kind, the only type she would use.  
  
"Yup." She smiled and a loud horn interrupted their morning routine.  
  
"That's the bus, go on, girls." Carol said around a mouthful of bagel.  
  
"Bye, Mom." Tess said, kissing her goodbye, picking up her backpack and leaving.  
  
"Mom, don't forget. Cori's dropping us at the hospital at four." Kate reminded her.  
  
"I won't, I won't. Go to school." Carol sighed, steering her towards the door.  
  
"Love you, Mom." Kate kissed her and ran to the bus. Carol waved her kindergarteners off.   
  
They were so grown-up for five-year-olds. They'd be six in less than two months, in November, but they acted like teenagers. Carol supposed it was because they had learned to depend on each other so much that they shared the responsibilities of the household. They shared breakfast duty, dish duty, dog duty...everyone had a turn at each job, no matter the age of the person. Kate would even occasionally help her do the bills, getting Carol her pens and stacking papers and such.  
  
The twins' father had left before Carol had found out she was pregnant, and she didn't have enough courage to tell him after a few failed attempts to. They hadn't had contact for six years, and she supposed they would never have any.  
  
Ringo's bark shook her from her thoughts. Carol leaned down to tousle his fur then finished her bagel and drove to work.  
  
~*~  
  
"Didn't think he'd have the guts." Chuny said as Carol walked into the hospital.  
  
"But I thought you said he went away with shame and ignominy?" Mari Ellis, a med student, said.  
  
"We did." Replied Malik.  
  
"Then how'd he get his job back?" she pressed.  
  
"We have no clue." Answered Haleh.  
  
"What are we talking about?" Carol asked, walking over to the group and setting down her coffee thermos.  
  
"The new doc." Mari replied.  
  
"Taking those empty places?" Carol watched as the others threw Mari harsh looks.  
  
"I'm gonna go...fix someone." Mari said quickly and hurried off.  
  
"What is it?" Carol questioned. "What's going on?" No one responded. "Come on, guys, tell me." Still no one made a sound. "Alright, fine. I'm going to get some more coffee from the lounge." Each person watching bit their tongues as Carol walked in on Kerry Weaver talking with the new doctor.  
  
~*~  
  
Ooooh, surprise surprise! Who could it be??? I WONDER! Stay tuned! But it doesn't matter if you don't, cos I'm still gonna update, if not for anyone but my sister.  
  
~*~ 


	2. Taking You Home: Chapter Two

"Carol," Kerry said, surprised. Carol stood in shock, nearly dropping her hot coffee. He stood right next to the redhead, a few feet away from where she herself stood. "Doug's come back to fill our ER pediatrics position."  
  
"Oh," Carol said numbly, unable to say much.  
  
"I'm...going to see how Jing-Mei is...." Kerry said, walking out, leaving the two alone.  
  
"Hi, Carol." Doug said quietly, looking at her, his head tilted in that way he always had.  
  
"Doug, what are you doing here?" she asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"I got a job." He announced.  
  
"That's obvious." She muttered.  
  
"Seattle wasn't much after a while, I decided to come back when the position opened up." He explained, and she didn't say anything. "Listen, Carol, I know we haven't kept in touch and I know that I left you, but...."  
  
"But what, Doug?"  
  
"I don't want any hard feelings. We're going to be working together and...it'd be best if we weren't at each other's throats."  
  
"Who says I'm at your throat?"  
  
"Ok...am I forgiven then? For all I did?"  
  
"Why would I need to forgive you? You did what you thought was right and you were busy...it's not like I didn't expect you to call every day...or drop a line, or something."  
  
"Carol, I-"  
  
"Doug, I just came to get some coffee." She showed him her thermos. "Everything's fine. I promise."  
  
"Alright." Doug smiled and walked out. Carol sighed and leaned back against the countertop, wondering how the hell her life had changed so fast.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey, Mom!" Kate came running up to Carol's side as she clicked away on the computer.  
  
"Kate, what are you doing here?" Carol asked, worried. "It's only six o'clock."  
  
"Cori brought us, remember?" Kate said, slightly annoyed. "She has a daaaaaaaaate!"  
  
"Did you two have dinner?"  
  
"Uh-huh, macaroni and cheese."  
  
"Where is Cori?" Carol looked to the door.  
  
"Tess had another asthma attack, they had to go slow." She replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Is she alright?" Carol tensed up slightly. Tess had been to the hospital three times since being diagnosed with severe asthma two years ago.  
  
"Uh-huh, she's just a little dizzy." Kate pointed to Tess walking in with Cori, a high school senior who took care of the girls after school.  
  
"Tess, sweetie, are you ok?" Carol leaned down to her oldest daughter's height.  
  
"I'm *fine*, Mom," Tess said, exasperated.  
  
"The girls were playing in the backyard after dinner and they climbed the tree." Cori explained.  
  
"Tess, you're allergic to Oak. What have I told you about climbing that tree?" Carol reprimanded.  
  
"Never to do it." She murmured. Kate laughed at her.  
  
"Katherine...." Carol gave her a look.  
  
"Sorry." She apologized.  
  
"Hey, Kate, Tess." Randi said, noticing them.  
  
"Hi, Randi!" the two chorused.  
  
"Randi, can you watch them for a second?" Carol asked.  
  
"Sure." Randi replied. "Come on, girls."  
  
"Can we look at your magazines?" Tess asked.  
  
"I *need* to find out my horoscope." Kate added. Cori smiled at the adorable twins.  
  
"Thanks for letting me go early." Cori said gratefully.  
  
"Yeah, I know your dates are very important." Carol grinned. "Is today payday?"  
  
"First of the month," She replied.  
  
"Two hundred?" Carol clarified and Cori nodded. "Here you go." She handed her the money. "And Cori, I don't think I'll need you tomorrow. I'm going to try and take the day off, bring the girls to the park or something instead of going to work."  
  
"Sure, I'll get more time to work on that report for Art History." Cori smiled. "I'll see you on Tuesday, then."  
  
"Bye, Cori." Carol said.  
  
"Bye." Cori waved to the girls and left. Carol walked to where Tess and Kate sat on the desk, looking at Randi's latest issue of Vogue.  
  
"See? If you have blue eyes, you go for the blue shadow and if you have brown, then you go for the mauve. But since you girls have hazel, then you try the pink and silver." Randi was explaining to them.  
  
"What about you, Randi?" Tess asked.  
  
"Depends on what colour eyes I have that day." she answered.  
  
"You can change your eye colour?" Kate said astounded. She nodded. "How?"  
  
"Magic." She said matter-of-factly, leaving the two girls astounded.  
  
"Hey, cheeseheads." Carol said, kissing her girls' heads.  
  
"Mo-om!" Tess cried.  
  
"Come on, let's get you in the lounge." She helped them off the desk. "Thanks, Randi."  
  
"No problem." She replied.  
  
"Let's go, Mom!" Kate prompted.  
  
"I'm coming!" Carol smiled and walked to the lounge door, holding the girls' hands.  
  
"Hey, Carol...." Doug sat on the couch, going over a pile of charts.  
  
"Starting early, Doug?" Carol asked.  
  
"I'm a changed man." He smiled and his smile dropped as he saw the two twins. "Who are these little things?"  
  
"I'm Tess!" Tess cried.  
  
"I'm Kate!" Kate added loudly.  
  
"And I'm Doug." Doug said, grinning. "These your kids, Carol?"  
  
"Yep." She answered, nodding.  
  
"No one told me you were married." He stated.  
  
"I'm not." Carol looked down at her little girls, who still held cautiously to her hands. "Their dad...well, that's a long story."  
  
"I'm sorry." He apologized.  
  
"You don't need to be, it's not-" She stopped herself from saying it wasn't his fault, because, technically, it was. "It's okay."  
  
"Mom never talks about you. How come we've never seen you here before?" Kate asked, being bold and walking up to him, Tess following suit.  
  
"Because I just moved back here." He explained.  
  
"Like a new kid?" Tess asked. "We have a new kid at our school."  
  
"Kind of, but I've lived here before. Your mom and I were friends a long time ago." He replied.  
  
"You were?" Kate repeated, astounded.  
  
"Yes, *very* good friends." Doug grinned cockily.  
  
"Come on, girls, let's get you situated so Mom can go back to work." Carol said.  
  
"Is Doug gonna stay and play with us, Mom?" Kate asked.  
  
"You'll have to ask him." Carol replied.  
  
"Will you play with us, Doug?" Kate leaned on his knee.  
  
"Sure, I'm not that busy." He replied, placing his charts on the table.  
  
"Yay!" The two cheered.  
  
"I'll come get you in a few hours when my shift is over, OK, girls?" Carol kissed their cheeks.  
  
"OK, Mom." Kate replied.  
  
"We'll behave." Tess added.  
  
"I know you will." Carol grinned. "Watch them, Doug."  
  
"I will." He smiled and she left. "So, you're Kate and Tess."  
  
"*I* come first," Tess cried.  
  
"Nu-uh, I do!" retorted Kate.  
  
"I'm oldest!"  
  
"I'm smartest!"  
  
"I'm prettiest!"  
  
"We look exactly the same." Kate stuck her hands on her hips and gave her a reprimanding look.  
  
"Hush, you." Tess said and sat her backpack down on the table, beginning to remove some things.  
  
"Who's that on your backpack?" Doug asked curiously.  
  
"That's Spongebob!" she cried.  
  
"Spongebob?" Doug repeated.  
  
"Spongebob Squarepants!" Kate giggled.  
  
"Oh, of course. Spongebob Squarepants. Why didn't I guess?" Doug smiled. "And who is on your backpack, Kate?"  
  
"Rugrats!"  
  
"What a...wonderful name." Doug mumbled.  
  
"They're TV shows, Doug." Tess explained.  
  
"Of course." He said, picking up a chart.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kate asked, leaning into his lap as Tess settled down with her homework.  
  
"I'm writing up patient reviews." He replied, showing her. "See, this was a little boy who had a bad rash on his arms. So I gave him a shot and some pills and skin cream and he's going to get all better."  
  
"And you have to write about them?"  
  
"Yep." Doug nodded. "What are you doing, Tess?"  
  
"Homework." She said, not looking up from her paper.  
  
"Do you have homework to do, Kate?" he asked.  
  
"Nope, I finished at home. *Tess* played around instead." She reprimanded and Tess responded by sticking out her tongue. "Can I watch you work?"  
  
"Sure, but it'll probably be boring." Doug answered.  
  
"I don't mind," Kate said, snuggling against him and resting her curly head on his shoulder. Doug smiled and resumed his work.  
  
~*~  
  
Carol looked at the clock. Nine on the dot. She smiled when she realized her shift had finally finished.  
  
"Carol, can you-" Mari began.  
  
"Not now, my shift's over and I have two sleepy little girls to take home." She said, putting on her coat and opening the door of the lounge. "Time to g-"  
  
"Shh...." Doug placed a finger to his lips, pointing to the two sleeping girls flanking his sides.   
  
"You got them to sleep?" Carol raised her eyebrows. "How'd you manage that?"  
  
"Entertained them with my chart reviews." Doug grinned. "They went out about an hour ago. Tess finished her homework and I finished mine. Getting it done here was better than at my cheap apartment."  
  
"Can you help me get them to my car?" she asked.  
  
"Sure." He replied.  
  
"Just let me get their things." Carol picked up their Spongebob and Rugrats backpacks.  
  
"We should put those on them, it'll be easier to carry them that way." Doug advised.  
  
"Alright." Carol carefully slid the backpacks onto the twins with Doug's help. "Will you take Tess?"  
  
"Sure." He carefully picked up Tess while Carol took Kate and they walked to the parking lot.  
  
"There's my car." Carol pointed to the tan piece of junk parked in a small space.  
  
"I know." Doug nodded. He pushed Tess higher on his shoulder and opened the back door, sitting her in and buckling her up then helping Carol to do the same with Kate.  
  
"Thanks, Doug." Carol said.  
  
"No problem." He replied, closing the doors. "You want me to come and help you get them home?"  
  
"No, I'm fine." She shook her head.  
  
"Really, it's no big deal. You know you don't want to wake them and you'll have to to get them inside." He said wryly.  
  
"You sure it's not a problem?" She asked once more.  
  
"I promise." He replied, grinning.  
  
"Alright, get in."  
  
~*~  
  
"Here we are." Carol said when they pulled up to the old homestead. All in all, the house looked the same, except for the bikes on the front porch and a new coat of paint that had made it brighter, thanks to Carol's brother-in-law and oldest nephews, but the stupid 8 in the 1815 on the porch still titled slightly to the right and refused to go back to it's normal spot.  
  
"Looks the same." Doug chuckled.  
  
"The inside looks much better." She replied.  
  
"Do you actually have walls?" he joked. Carol ignored his comment and opened the door, shielding herself from the now-falling rain and picking up Kate while Doug got Tess. She opened the door and hurried inside, not in a rush to get soaking wet.  
  
"Very nice." Doug commented, noticing the replaced furniture and fixed walls, along with the toys scattered about and children's videos stacked by the VCR. Ringo ran into the room, barking up a storm equal to the one outside and jumping onto Doug's legs.  
  
"Ringo the basset hound Starr!" Carol stage-whispered, nudging the hound aside with her foot. Ringo sulked and scampered away.  
  
"Ringo Starr?" Doug repeated quietly.  
  
"It was either that or Davey the dog Jones." She replied, then, dropping her tone to a whisper, said, "Their room's upstairs.", leading the way to the yellow room where the girls spent their sleeping hours and some of their waking ones.  
  
"Which one's Tess's?" he asked.  
  
"The one on the right." Carol nodded to it with her head.  
  
"Alright." Doug said.  
  
"Wait, Doug." Carol stopped him as he pulled back Tess's blankets.  
  
"What?" he stopped suddenly.  
  
"Get them into their undershirts. They can sleep in those." She explained.  
  
"Oh." Doug nodded and removed Tess's coveralls and shirt before placing her in her bed.  
  
"Mommy?" Tess murmured sleepily.  
  
"Right here, baby." Carol finished tucking Kate into bed before coming over to the other one.  
  
"Hi, Doug." The little girl smiled at him.  
  
"Hi, Tess." He responded.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"I helped your mom get you two home." Doug explained.  
  
"Oh...ok." Tess yawned.  
  
"Go back to sleep sweetheart." Carol said, kissing her daughter's forehead and pulling the covers over her, turning on the Elmo nightlight. "G'night."  
  
"'Night, Mommy."  
  
"Thanks, Doug." She said after they had gone downstairs.  
  
"No problem, they're sweet girls." He replied. "I'm gonna go now, I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Doug, why don't you stay, have something to drink?" Frankly, Carol had no idea what the hell she was doing, but she continued. "That rain is coming down pretty hard."  
  
"I've driven in rain before." Protested Doug.  
  
"I know, and you've also saved hypothermic boys in the rain before." Doug smiled at Carol's joke.  
  
"Fine, I'll stay and have some coffee." He gave in.  
  
"Let me go put it on. Come into the kitchen." Carol led him to the cheery yellow-checked room and started the coffee maker. Doug sat at the table, toying with the wax fruit in front of him. Carol watched, smiling, as he touched an apple and accidentally let it bounce to the floor, splitting neatly in half.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'll fix it." Doug picked up the two halves and tried to press them together.  
  
"Don't worry, it does that all the time. When I first bought them, the girls didn't know they were wax and Kate tried to have a snack." Carol grinned and Doug laughed heartily.  
  
"Precocious little things." Doug said. He began to fidget with the yellow gingham tablecloth, not looking her in the eye as he asked, "Do you remember when we were trying to have a kid?"  
  
"Yes." Carol replied quietly, placing the cup of coffee in front of him and taking a seat across the table.  
  
"Makes you wonder...if it would've turned out as sweet and pretty as Tess and Kate." He thought aloud.  
  
"Perhaps." Carol said after a long pause. "Guess we'll never know."  
  
"Carol, I had this pipe dream...." His voice trailed off. "That doesn't matter. The rain's stopped." He stood up and got his coat. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."  
  
"No, I'm taking the day off." She replied. "A Carol-Tess-and-Kate day."  
  
"Oh." Doug nodded. "Then I'll see you around."  
  
"It was good to see you, Doug." Carol said truthfully. Doug hugged her gently.  
  
"You too, Carol." He smiled at her and left. Carol silently finished the last of her coffee, not noticing the tears sliding off her nose into the mug.  
  
~*~ 


	3. Taking You Home: Chapter Three

"What do you want to do first, girls?" Carol asked as she and the twins approached the park where they chose to spend their afternoon.  
  
"Swing!"  
  
"Slide!"  
  
"Swing!!"  
  
"Slide!!"  
  
"Girls, girls!" Carol held up her hands. "Let's slide and *then* swing." Kate smiled gleefully, happy at getting her way. "But let's take off our 'blades first."  
  
"OK, Mom." Tess sighed dramatically and led the way to the bench where they all sat down and removed their rollerblades. Carol had to admit, they were better rollerbladers than their father.  
  
"Arf!" Ringo made his leash a taut string, lunging towards a passing cat.  
  
"Stop that, Ringo!" Carol scolded.  
  
"Let's slide now!" Kate cried, swiftly removing her skates and putting her special sparkly purple sneakers on.  
  
"Kate, I told you not to wear those here. Those are for school." Carol chastised.  
  
"Mo-om, can't I wear them? Just this once?" Kate pleaded.  
  
"Alright, but if they get dirty, you are going to be the one washing them, Katherine Hathaway." She replied.  
  
"Fine." Kate grumbled a bit but then cheered up. "Can we go slide now?"  
  
"Go on." Carol waved them off and watched them run off. "Keep your sweaters on!" She cried as they slid down the slide happily for ten whole minutes before returning to the bench breathlessly.  
  
"That was fun!" Kate smiled hugely.  
  
"Can we swing now?" Tess whined.  
  
"Hey, girls." A man on a bike rode up to them, stopping short in front of their bench.  
  
"Hi, Doug!" The twins cried together.  
  
"Arf!"  
  
"And hello to you, too, Ringo."  
  
"Hey, Doug, what are you doing here?" Carol asked.  
  
"My shift doesn't start for an hour so I came to the park." He explained, taking off his helmet and wiping his forehead with his biking-gloved hand. "I used to come here with my mom when I was a kid."  
  
"*You* used to come *here*?" Tess repeated incredulously.  
  
"Yeah, when I was little like you two." Doug said, tugging on her braid.  
  
"We're not little!" Kate cried. "We're almost six!"  
  
"Oh? When's your birthday?" Doug asked as he put down his kickstand.  
  
"November 27th!" They chorused.  
  
"Oh, why didn't I think of that?" he said and Carol watched Doug's face contort itself as if he had a big problem on his mind.  
  
"Come push me on the swings, Doug!" Tess shouted, tugging on his hand.  
  
"No, push me!" Kate yelled, tugging on his other hand.  
  
"Why don't I push you both?" he suggested.  
  
"But I-"  
  
"Tess..." Carol warned.  
  
"Alright." Tess groaned, taking Doug's hand and pulling him to the swing set with Kate in tow. Carol watched him push them alternatively, the thought occurring to her that this was how it could have been. How it could have been if he had stayed or if she had told him. They would've been a family and he would've taken them to the park and to school and to Tess's junior acting classes and Kate's gymnastic meets. She shook her head to banish those thoughts that would never be. She wouldn't let her heart get broken again. Not by Doug, even if she loved him.   
  
Again.  
  
Which she certainly didn't.  
  
"Higher, Doug, higher!" cried Kate.  
  
"Sure." Doug said and did as he was ordered. "Do you want to go higher, too, Tess?" Tess shook her head vigorously, looking scared. "Something wrong, Tess?"  
  
"I...can't br...breathe." She stammered, her shoulders heaving as she tried to catch her breath.  
  
"Let's stop." Doug pulled her swing to a standstill. "Kate go get your mom, ok?"  
  
"OK." Kate nodded and ran off to get Carol.  
  
"Tess, breath slow, ok?" he instructed. "Big long breaths." Tess nodded and did so.  
  
"Tess, sweetheart, are you okay?" Carol asked, crouching to her level.  
  
"I need my inhaler." She gasped.  
  
"Alright, Kate's getting it." Carol squeezed her hand affectionately.  
  
"It isn't here, Mom!" Kate shouted from the bench where their picnic basket was, Ringo guarding it faithfully.  
  
"Shit, I must've left it at home." Muttered Carol.  
  
"Let's drive you home and get your inhaler, Tess." Doug advised.  
  
"That's gonna be a problem, since we bladed here." Carol said sadly. She touched Tess's cheek. "Doug, does she look odd to you?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know, she just-" Carol's words were cut short as Tess's head fell back on it's own will. "Oh, God!"  
  
"Damn," Doug muttered, picking Tess off the swing and laying her on the ground. "Go call 911!" Carol ran off, watching Doug begin breathing for her daughter. 


	4. Taking You Home: Chapter Four

"Mommy?" Kate leaned onto her mother's shoulder.  
  
"Yes, sweetheart?" Carol looked at the child, smoothing back her hair.  
  
"Is Tessie going to die?" Kate asked the question with such fear in her voice and big eyes.  
  
"Oh, honey, of course not!" Carol cried, hoping she was right herself as she held the small girl. "They're just helping her breathe."  
  
"I don't want her to die...she's my sister, I love her." Kate murmured distractedly.  
  
"I know." Carol kissed the top of her head. "I do, too."  
  
A little while later, Doug walked into the hallway, wheeling Tess out of Trauma One and into a room with the help of Elizabeth and Malik.  
  
"Doug, is she okay?" Carol asked, walking alongside the gurney.  
  
"Yeah," he replied. "Gave her a high-dose epi and some Albuterol to open her bronchial tubes."  
  
"What?" Kate said, confused.  
  
"We gave her some medicine to open her lungs. We also put a tube down her throat to help her breathe." He explained.  
  
"Is she on a respirator?" asked Carol worriedly.  
  
"Yes, but it's just a precaution until she wakes up." Elizabeth replied, getting Tess situated in Curtain 3C.  
  
"When will she wake up?" Kate asked.  
  
"In a little bit." Said Doug. "Meanwhile, Carol, you should go get something to eat, you skipped your picnic and you're looking pretty tired."  
  
"I was about to take my break, why don't you come and have some coffee with me in the cafeteria?" Elizabeth suggested.  
  
"Alright." Carol nodded. "But call me if anything happens."  
  
"I will." Doug said.  
  
"Mom, I don't wanna go to the cafeteria." Kate announced.  
  
"Katie, sweetheart, you have to come." Carol replied.  
  
"Why don't I take her?" Malik offered. "We can go play in the lounge for a bit."  
  
"Can I, Mom? Pleeeeeeeeeease?" Kate clasped her little hands together, begging.  
  
"You sure it's not a problem, Malik?" Carol asked.  
  
"Positive. And if I have to go, Randi can watch her." He said, tousling Kate's curls.  
  
"So can I?" she said.  
  
"Fine." Carol kissed her goodbye and watched her scamper off to the lounge.  
  
"They're both getting so big." Elizabeth said after they had gotten their coffee and a miffin to share.  
  
"And Kate's power of persuasion have grown as well." Carol smiled. "I'll bet Ella's excited to be going to their school, even if they're in first and she's in kindergarten."  
  
"She's pleased as punch." Elizabeth replied. "Ella adores Tess and Kate."  
  
"Just as much as they love her." Carol said. "How are you doing, Elizabeth?"  
  
"I'm getting along well." Elizabeth began to toy with the silver locket that held a picture of Mark and Ella together, two months before he succumbed to the cancer that had taken over his body. "Romano's working me like a dog and I'm supporting myself and a little child, not to mention losing three ER doctors and a nurse in one year and only getting two doctors and a med student to replace them."  
  
"Well, when Dr. Benton got that offer in Vermont, he had to take along Cleo and Nina. And when Luka went back to Croatia, Abby wouldn't let him go alone." Carol protested.  
  
"I know." Elizabeth sighed. "And Ananda Nichols is one of the best doctors I've ever seen, but we're so short-staffed, what with Jing-Mei leaving in a month."  
  
"She said she might not, a hospital is the best place to work when you're pregnant."  
  
"She shouldn't be working the traumas anymore."  
  
"No need to worry, Carter's already taken care of that." Carol smiled, sipping at her coffee.  
  
"It's adorable how he's much too overprotective of her." Elizabeth said.  
  
"Mark was like that when I was pregnant with Tess and Kate." Carol smiled a little.  
  
"What about you, Carol? How are you doing?" Elizabeth reached out and touched her hand.  
  
"I'm alright." She said. "My life's been a bit messed up since Doug came back...." Carol's voice trailed off. "Elizabeth?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Did you know about him coming?"  
  
"Who? Doug?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
"Elizabeth!!"  
  
"They made me promise not to tell."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Kerry and Carter."  
  
"They knew?"  
  
"Everyone knew."  
  
"*Everyone?!*"  
  
"Well, almost everyone."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I told you, they made me promise." Elizabeth protested. "But it isn't that bad."  
  
"Isn't that bad? The father of my children comes back and he doesn't even know that six years ago, I gave birth to his twin daughters!" Carol cried, drawing more attention than even Tess could want.  
  
"You mean you haven't yet told him?" Elizabeth asked, leaning across the table. Carol shook her head. "Whyever not?"  
  
"How am I supposed to? I'm already trying my hardest not to fall back in love with him." Carol admitted.  
  
"Truly?" Elizabeth said like a schoolgirl.  
  
"Maybe." Carol said sheepishly. "I don't want to be hurt." She sighed. "I'm going back. I want to see my girls." Carol threw her Styrofoam cup in the trash can and left.  
  
"What took you so long, Mom?" Kate asked when she met her in the hallway.  
  
"I wasn't gone *that* long, Katherine." Carol said, somewhat agitated.  
  
"Tessie's up and she wants that swooshy thing out of her mouth." Kate pointed to the doorway.  
  
"She is?" Carol asked. Kate nodded and they both hurried into the room to find Doug giving Tess instructions on how to remove the tube.  
  
"Ready?" he asked, his hand perched on the end of the tube. Tess nodded, a little fear running through her eyes.  
  
"Squeeze my hand, Tess." Malik said, offering a palm, which the girl took gratefully.  
  
"OK, when I say three, breathe out." Doug instructed. "One...two...three!" Doug pulled on the cord and Tess choked it out.  
  
"Here's some water, sweetheart." Carol handed her a cup. Tess swallowed it and handed her the cup when done.  
  
"Did it hurt?" Kate asked curiously, leaning on the bed.  
  
"A little." Tess replied. "Can I go home now, Mommy? I feel much better."  
  
"We can go in a little bit." She replied.  
  
"Then can we get McDonald's?!" Kate started jumping up and down.  
  
"Yeah, Mom, we didn't get our lunch, can we??" Tess chimed in.  
  
"Maybe." Carol sighed.  
  
"Sounds good, maybe I'll come along." Doug smiled.  
  
"We didn't invite you, Doug." Carol said.  
  
"Aw, let him come, Mom!" Kate cried.  
  
"Yeah, we'll have fun!" Tess said.   
  
"Please?"  
  
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeease oh please oh please?"  
  
"Yeah, Carol, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"  
  
Kate dropped to her knees and clasped her hands and Doug did the same.  
  
"Fine, fine...." Carol sighed. "Just get off the ground. Kate, you'll ruin your jeans and Doug, you look like an idiot."  
  
"That's not nice, Mom." Kate wagged her finger at Carol.  
  
"Yeah, Carol, it's not nice." Doug grinned cheekily.  
  
"Apologize!" Tess ordered.  
  
"I'm sorry, Doug." Carol said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Better." Doug smiled.  
  
"Can I go now?" Tess whined. "Doug, pleeeeeeeeeease?"  
  
"Let me just sign you off, then you can get dressed and we can go to McDonald's."  
  
"Inviting yourself yet again, Dr. Ross?" Carol smirked.  
  
"Maybe." He said. "I'll let you get changed." Doug tousled Tess's hair and walked out. 


	5. Taking You Home: Chapter Five

"I want a burger!"  
  
"I want nuggets!"  
  
"No, I want a cheeseburger!"  
  
"Can we get ice cream?"  
  
"Mom, I'm hungry!"  
  
"Mom, I'm hungry!"  
  
"Girls!" Carol shouted, putting up her hands. Doug stood sniggering behind his hand, holding tightly to Tess with the other one. "We'll get you your food, just let me order." Carol stepped up to the counter and was greeted by a pimply teenaged boy asking monotonously if he could take her order. "Yes, I'd like a hamburger-"  
  
"Cheeseburger!"  
  
"*Cheeseburger* kid's meal, McNuggets kid's meal, both with Sprites, a number four with a Diet Coke, and what do you want, Doug?"  
  
"A double Big Mac, extra large fries, and a large Coke." He said, pulling out his wallet. "My treat."  
  
"It's twenty-seven thirty-five." The cashier responded.  
  
"No, I can do it." Carol interfered, getting her money out.  
  
"Just let me pay, Carol." Doug handed the cashier the money. "Keep the change."  
  
"Thanks, Doug." Carol said. "Girls, what do you say?"  
  
"Thank you, Doug!"  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"You're welcome." Doug replied as they sat at a booth.  
  
"Lovely table manners, Doug." Carol commented as she disgustedly watched him scarf down his food while Kate and Tess did their best to imitate his etiquette. "Look at what you're teaching them." Doug merely grinned and popped another French fry into his mouth. "Katie, Tess, if you do that, you'll get a tummy ache."  
  
"But Doug does it!" Kate protested.  
  
"And Doug is very wrong, isn't he?" Carol shot him a look. "Just because Doug does it doesn't make it right. Now chew slower." Kate rolled her eyes and Tess sighed but both ate their food normally, laughing occasionally at Doug's jokes and antics.  
  
"Can we play now?" Kate asked when they had finished.  
  
"I thought you two wanted ice cream." Carol reminded them.  
  
"That too!" Tess cried.  
  
"Nu-uh, Tessie. No going in there for you." Carol shook her head.  
  
"Why not?" The little girl protested.  
  
"Because there are millions of allergens floating around in there." She said, eyeing the colourful play place.  
  
"Pleeeeeeeeeease, Mom? Just one time down the slide, I'll take my inhaler if I can't breathe!" Tess waved the new one she had gotten from Doug that day.  
  
"It won't be any fun without Tessie!" Kate cried, throwing an arm around her mirror image's shoulder.  
  
"Fine, one slide." Carol sighed. "Doug, will you watch them while I get the ice cream?"  
  
"Sure." He got their hands in his.  
  
"I want chocolate!"  
  
"I want strawberry!"  
  
"Fine, fine...." Carol smiled and walked to the counter  
  
"Catch me at the bottom, Doug!" Kate shouted, taking off her shoes and heading up the ladder to the slide.  
  
"Me too, me too!" yelled Tess, following her sister closely.  
  
"I'll catch both of you." Doug replied, feeling an aching spot in his head. He had always wanted children. Carol's children. They had tried, how they had tried. But it hasn't worked out and he left and Carol got with someone else, right after he left, if his calculations were right. He had stayed single for love of her, in the hopes that he could come back and raise a family with her. Instead, Carol had quickly forgotten about him and slept with another man, ending up carrying his children instead of Doug's, which made him extremely irate.  
  
"Catch meeee!" Kate cried as she slid down, startling Doug from his reverie. Doug turned and caught her, spinning her around and putting her on the ground.  
  
"Me next!" Tess came sliding down and Doug grabbed and tossed her im the air before sitting her beside her sister.  
  
"What should we do next?" he asked, putting his hands on his knees and leaning to their height.  
  
"We hafta put our shoes back on, 'cause Tessie can't go again and I'm not going without her!" Kate announced, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
"Alright, let's get your shoes." Doug smiled and found their shoes from the bin.  
  
"Luka used to take us here." Tess announced.  
  
"Luka?" Doug asked.  
  
"Mom's friend. He used to take us here, but he stopped about a year ago." Kate clarified.  
  
"Was he really good friends with your Mom?" Doug asked, knowing what they meant.  
  
"Reeeally good friends." Tess giggled. "He used to kiss her."  
  
"Oh?" Doug's voice lowered.  
  
"We called him Daddy, but Mom made us stop when he left." Kate said.  
  
"Why?" said Doug.  
  
"Because he decided he liked Abby better." She replied.  
  
"I'm gonna go see Mom." Tess said, running off.  
  
"He liked Abby better?" Doug pressed.  
  
"Yup, and she went with him when he went back to Cro...Croat...."  
  
"Croatia?"  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
"Why'd he go to Croatia?"  
  
"'Cause he wanted to help. That's where he used to live. Abby went with him."  
  
"She did?"  
  
"Uh-huh...and one time Luka asked her to go!"  
  
"What'd she say?"  
  
"She said she couldn't leave. She got real mad at Luka. Then she called Elizabeth and cried."  
  
"Did she and Luka stay mad?"  
  
"For a little bit. Then when Grandma died, he came and made her better."  
  
"And then?"  
  
"Then I don't know. He stopped coming. And he left for Croatia and Abby went with him."  
  
"Oh." Doug nodded, looking at the small serious girl. She had her mother's curly hair and complexion, and some other man's eyes and mouth, probably Luka's, according to one of the pictures on the mantle of a dark-looking man and the twins. The thought of Carol with another man made his insides flip and sent a painful sensation through his heart of hearts.  
  
"Katie, sweetheart, ready to go?" Carol came into the play place area.  
  
"I thought we were getting ice cream." Kate said.  
  
"Yeah, we're going to take it out." Carol held out a strawberry ice cream cone.  
  
"OK." Kate smiled and took it.  
  
"Ready to go, Doug?" Carol asked.  
  
"Yeah." He said absent-mindedly, standing to leave.  
  
~*~  
  
"You didn't have to come all the way home with us, Doug." Carol said, smiling a little.  
  
"I know," He replied. "I wanted to."  
  
"Wanna come see my room, Doug?" Tess asked.  
  
"It's *our* room, Tess!" Kate shouted.  
  
"Tess, restate the question, please." Carol ordered.  
  
"Do you wanna-"  
  
"Want to, not wanna, baby."  
  
"*Want* to see *our* room?"  
  
"Sure, I'll be up in a bit." Doug said half-heartedly. "Go on up."  
  
"OK!" They cried together and ran upstairs.  
  
"Something wrong?" she asked, picking up some pillows from the ground and a bowl of half-eaten now-mushy cereal from the table.  
  
"They're Luka's, right?" Doug asked quietly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The girls. They're Luka's daughters." He felt anger welling up inside of him, ready to burst.  
  
"Doug, you've-"  
  
"No, Carol. I really thought we had something."  
  
"Please, won't you-"   
  
"I loved you. I still do."  
  
"Doug, listen-"  
  
"And as soon as I'm gone, you throw yourself at some foreign guy named Luka who ends up leaving you and his daughters for Croatia with some nurse."  
  
"*Goddamnit, Doug, they aren't his, they're yours!*" 


	6. Taking You Home: Chapter Six

Doug's jaw dropped. Had he heard her right?  
  
"Mine? They're my girls?" he repeated, unbelieving.  
  
"Go away, Doug." She said sorrowfully.  
  
"Carol, I-"  
  
"GET OUT!"  
  
She angrily pointed to the door. Doug hung his head and walked slowly out the door and to his car, driving to his cold apartment, playing sad songs the whole way there. He stepped into a dark lonely home, regretting that he had ever come back.  
  
Beer. He needed a beer. Doug crawled to the fridge and took a cool brown bottle from the shelf, opening it and beginng to drown his sorrows. After he had downed two bottles, he had come up with a solution, that being to call Elizabeth. He picked up the phone and dialed her number.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Elizabeth, it's-"  
  
"You've reached Elizabeth and Ella. We aren't home, but please-"  
  
*Click*  
  
Doug then remembered that it was only two in the afternoon and she would still be at the hospital. He dialed the number there. It rang four times before someone picked up.  
  
"County General." An annoyed voice said harshly. Kerry. Just what he was looking for.  
  
"Kerry, it's Doug, is Elizabeth there?" he said.  
  
"Doug, you'd better get in here! We are swamped and I swear, if you aren't back from this 'break' of yours in ten minutes, I will fire your ass so quickly-"  
  
"Kerry, just let me speak with Elizabeth, damnit!" He shouted, slurring his words and letting tears show in his voice. Kerry obviously handed the phone to her, since she was the next to speak.  
  
"Doug?" Elizabeth said. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Elizabeth, did you know they were mine?" He blurted out.  
  
"What do you mean?" she replied, her voice steady as if she were lying.  
  
"The twins. Did you know they were my daughters?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?!"  
  
"For the same reason I didn't tell her, because she told me not to!" Her voice had risen from a murmur to a shout. "Doug, let me take this in the lounge. Hold on a moment."  
  
"OK." Doug waited a moment while Elizabeth went into the lounge.  
  
"There, now you can talk." She said when she returned.  
  
"You should've told me, Elizabeth!" He shouted.  
  
"She made me promise." Elizabeth reminded him.  
  
"Did you know I have a son? A son I never met or speak to? I didn't want to do that to any more of my kids and now I have."  
  
"Well, why the bloody hell are you blaming me? She made everyone promise not to tell, even Mark!"  
  
"Mark knew?"  
  
"Of *course* Mark knew, Carol told Mark all her troubles until three years ago. He was there all those times you broke up and when you left and he was her Lamaze coach when she had the twins. He comforted her and held her and helped her breathe!"  
  
"Damnit, Elizabeth! I didn't know!" Doug fumed for a few silent moments.  
  
"I didn't think she'd ever tell you." Elizabeth said quietly, breaking the silence.  
  
"Well, she did." He muttered. "I said that I knew Luka was their father and that I couldn't believe-"  
  
"You WHAT?!"  
  
"I told her I couldn't believe she was so quick to sleep with another guy."  
  
"How could you? Do you know how wrong you were?"  
  
"I didn't know they were mine, Elizabeth!"  
  
"But still, you...." Her voice trailed off. "I'm not going to argue with you, Doug. I'm just going to tell you that I think you should go talk to her and tell the girls."  
  
"Will you tell Kerry for me? I'd rather sit here and drink then go to work."  
  
"Don't you dare, Douglas Ross. I want you to go back to Carol's and tell her you're sorry."  
  
"Elizabeth...."  
  
"Just do it, Doug." Elizabeth said, hanging up on him. Doug sighed and stood, getting his coat and again getting in his car and driving to Carol's house. He knocked at the door, waiting a few moments for Carol or the girls to appear.  
  
His girls. He had two daughters.  
  
His mind rid itself of thoughts when Carol looked out the window. She rolled her eyes and shut the curtain, not bothering to answer the door.  
  
"Carol! Carol, open the door!" He pounded on it with his fists. "It's me, I just came to apologize!"  
  
No response.  
  
"I'm sorry, Carol!"  
  
Still no answer.  
  
"Doug, is that you?"  
  
A little voice somewhere above his head caught his attention. Doug stepped off the porch and looked at the second story window.  
  
"Hey, girls." Doug replied, looking at them in a whole new light now that he knew they were his.  
  
"Whatcha doin'?" Tess asked.  
  
"Trying to get in." he replied.  
  
"Why didn't you come look at our room, Doug?" Kate asked.  
  
"Because I had to go away and now I'm back and your mom won't let me in."  
  
"You can climb up to our window!"  
  
"Get on the porch, we can pull you in!"  
  
"No, girls, I don't think that would work." Doug smiled at their innocence.  
  
"C'mon, try it!"  
  
"Pleeeeeeeeeeease, Doug?" Tess stuck out her lower lip and Kate imitated her.  
  
"Fine, fine." Doug laughed and stood on the porch rail, pulling himself up onto the roof and sliding into their room.  
  
"Do you like our room, Doug?" Kate gestured to the messy room with her hands.  
  
"Yes, it's gorgeous." He answered.  
  
"Thank you!" Tess grinned.  
  
"It's not very clean, though." Kate looked a bit disappointed.  
  
"That's alright, my apartment isn't very clean either." He said comfortingly.  
  
"Can we see it one day?"  
  
"Yeah, can we?"  
  
"Pleeeeeeeease?"  
  
"Pleeeeeeeease?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, girls." Doug smiled.  
  
"Chickadees, who are you talking to?" Carol asked, coming up the stairs.  
  
"Doug!" Tess shouted.  
  
"Tess," Doug said, but it was too late.  
  
"What do you mean, 'Doug'?" Carol came into the room, carrying a basket of laundry, her mouth opening when she saw Doug in the room and the screen from the open window leaning on the wall. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"I was invited in by our girls." He replied, trying to control his temper.  
  
"Ours? You were never here, Doug, don't call them ours when they are mine."  
  
"You never had the courtesy to call me and tell me I had them, Carol!"  
  
Unbeknownst to the arguers at the moment, Tess and Kate slipped out, heading for a more quiet setting.  
  
"You didn't call, either, Doug! I didn't want you to blow up in my face!" her voice was loud and menacing.  
  
"I wouldn't have blown up, Carol." He said, checking his tone to make it quieter. "I...I love you. I love them. I want them."  
  
"You can't have them, they're mine. They're staying with me." Carol out and out refused.  
  
"They have a right to know. You took that right away from them just like you took it away from me!"  
  
"I won't tell them, because they won't seeing you. They're mine."  
  
"I always wanted to marry you and raise your children. Now I have that chance and you won't let them near me!"  
  
"They'll ask question, Doug! They'll wonder why Daddy wasn't here their first six years and why Mommy and Daddy don't live together." Carol's voice told him she was near tears. "They already think you don't love them." *Or their mommy.* she silently added.  
  
"Fine. Fine. If you're not going to tell them, I am." Doug threw aside the bear Tess had handed him and ran downstairs, eager to his daughters who they were to him.  
  
"Doug!" cried Carol, running after him.  
  
"Girls, where are you?" Doug called through the house. "Tess? Kate?" He looked outside. They weren't there. "Ollie ollie oxen free!" he said, thinking they were hiding. "Come on girls, this isn't funny any more."  
  
"What is it , Doug?" Carol asked.  
  
"I can't find the girls." He said, beginning to look in ever crack and corner.  
  
"What do you mean, you 'can't find them'?"  
  
"I'm they're not here."  
  
"Not here?"  
  
"Not in the house, not in the backyard." He looked on the porch. "Not out front or in the street."  
  
"Little cheeseheads, where are you?" Carol called in a sing-song voice. She went upstairs and ran back down a few moments later. "They aren't there, Doug. They aren't anywhere." Her voice was rigid, her face pale, and her eyes wide.  
  
"Don't worry, Carol. We'll find them." He comforted her, taking her hand.  
  
"No, you don't understand! I have to worry!" she cried. "They're the only family I have! They're all I have to...." Carol stopped speaking.  
  
"To what?" Doug asked.  
  
"To remind me of you." She whispered, letting her eyes drop to the floor. Doug's heartbeat quickened.  
  
"We'll find them." He kissed her forehead. "I promise." Carol bit her lip, letting the tears go. "Don't cry, stay here, I'm going to ask the neighbors. Maybe when they went to play." He kissed her cheek, said, "I love you, Carol." and left, returning eight minutes later.  
  
"Did you find them?" asked Carol, wiping at her eyes but knowing the answer since there were no children clenched onto his hands.  
  
"No." he shook his head sadly and Carol started a new batch of tears. "We'll find them, Carol."  
  
"What if we don't? What if they were kidnapped and we never see them again? What if-"  
  
The ringing of the phone interrupted her vocal thoughts. Doug seized it, hoping it was someone with information.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Carol?"  
  
"Elizabeth?"  
  
"Doug, is that you?"  
  
"Yes, we can't find the girls. Have you seen them?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, a waitress from Doc's recognized them from Carol and called over here. Carter went to go get them."  
  
"Oh, thank God...."  
  
"Doug, what is it?"  
  
"They found them, they're at the hospital."  
  
"The hospital?!"  
  
"Is that Carol?"  
  
"Yes, Elizabeth, we'll be there in ten minutes."  
  
"Alright, goodbye."  
  
Doug hung up the phone to see Carol smiling hugely.  
  
"They really found them?" she asked happily.  
  
"Yeah, they somehow got to Doc's." he replied, grinning.  
  
"Thank God," Carol sighed, throwing her arms around Doug's neck on an impulse.  
  
"That's what I said." Doug answered, kissing her on an impulse. Carol responded for a few moments then pulled back, shocked. She touched her lips absent-mindedly.  
  
"We should go find them." She said quietly.  
  
"Take the El or the car?" he asked.  
  
"El. It'll be faster." She replied.  
  
"It will?" Carol nodded. Honestly, she didn't want to be stuck in a small car with Doug, with whom she felt so tensed with at the moment. "Alright, the El then." 


	7. Taking You Home: Chapter Seven

"Why'd you call our mom?" Kate asked.  
  
"Because you two need to go home." Frank said.  
  
"Mom was arguing." Tess said, snuggling in Kerry's lap, who she was an especial favourite of since her birth.  
  
"With who?" Kerry asked, smoothing out the girl's hair.  
  
"Doug." Kate replied, sticking her thumb in her mouth as she did when she was troubled.  
  
"Can't we stay, Aunt Kerry?" Tess whined.  
  
"No, your mom is going to be here very soon." Said Kerry.  
  
"How soon?" Kate tilted her head to one side.  
  
"A few more minutes." Frank replied.  
  
"Girls?" Carol called, hurrying into the ER.  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Hi, Mama!"  
  
"Oh, my sweethearts...." Carol hugged them to her chest when she got to their sides. "Why did you run away?"  
  
"Because you were fighting."  
  
"We didn't like it."  
  
"Not one bit."  
  
"So we left."  
  
"Girls, you should never do that." Doug warned. "Your mother and I were worried sick."  
  
"Then why were you fighting if you were sick?" Tess asked.  
  
"No, it's a figure of speech." Carol said, kissing her hair.  
  
"Oh." She replied.  
  
"We're sorry. We won't run away again." Kate said, knowing that was what they wanted to hear.  
  
"Good girls." Carol smiled, giving them a little squeeze. "Doug?" She looked over her shoulder at him. "Can I talk to you in the lounge?"  
  
"Sure." He said, nodding. "Watch them, will you, Kerry?"  
  
"Sure." She agreed, herding them towards her like a mother hen. Carol led the way into the lounge.  
  
"Malucci, can we have a few minutes?" she asked the only occupant of the lounge.  
  
"Sure." He grinned and walked out.  
  
"What is it, Carol?" Doug asked, turning to her as the door shut.  
  
"I wanted to ask you if...if what you said was only because they were gone or if you really meant it. Saying that you loved me and all." Carol wouldn't meet his gaze as she asked these questions, instead looking at the ground and running a hand through her hair. Doug caught that hand in his and held it tightly.  
  
"Of course I meant it." He said softly. "I've loved you since I looked at you. Even before that. Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Do you still love me?"  
  
Carol searched through her heart of hearts to answer this question. She had tried so hard to forget about her love for Doug after he left, but it hadn't worked. He had encompassed her thoughts and feelings since she was twenty-three. She had let him go twice. She didn't want to do it again.  
  
"Yes."  
  
~*~  
  
SO? What do you think? Oh, and be on the look-out for a new one soon, think of it as a B.D.C.- Before Doug and Carol.  
~Tess  
P.S. Katie, darling, *when* are you coming home??? 


End file.
